Prior art methods to protect documents, artwork, and the like, comprise using what are commonly referred to as “protector sleeves” for those documents. Such prior art “protector sleeves” adequately protect two-dimensional objects, such as for example documents, cards, photographs, and the like. Many, in fact most, prior art “protector sleeves” are not suitable, however, for protecting three-dimensional objects.
Certain prior art protector sleeves are formed such that the enclosed pocket is large enough to physically accommodate objects having dimensions along each of the three axis, i.e. where the height of the object exceeds about a tenth of an inch. Placing a three dimensional object within such a prior art protector sleeve forms what is sometimes referred to as a “lumpy” page. Such a “lumpy” page often assumes a pillow configuration.
While such prior art protector sleeves may be dimensioned to enclose three dimensional objects, the resulting “lumpy” pages do not include rigid side walls to minimize and/or eliminate compressive forces being exerted on the enclosed object(s). In order to protect such “lumpy” pages, an album housing a plurality of sheets including one or more lumpy sheets must not be stored, handled, or transported, horizontally whereby the combined weight of the plurality of pages will crush the three dimensional objects. Rather, such albums must only be stored, handled, and/or transported, vertically. Needless to say, such prior art protector sleeves provide less than maximal protection for three dimensional objects.
What is needed is a three-dimensional album page protector which is formed such that three-dimensional objects can be removeably disposed therein, and wherein those three-dimensional objects are protected from being crushed by the weight of other album pages disposed there above. Applicants' three-dimensional album page protector provides such an improvement over the prior art.